Dodgers can’t cash in on seeming break in 5-2 loss to Padres

These days even when the Dodgers are given a seeming break, they can’t cash it in. They could be dealt 20 and the dealer would turn over blackjack.

The Dodgers had to believe they’d stumbled upon some good fortune Friday when Padres starter Clayton Richard threw his second pitch of the game and then exited with an injured shoulder.

With ace Clayton Kershaw on the mound, the Dodgers had to like their chances.

BOX SCORE: San Diego 5, Dodgers 2

Alas, there is little the Dodgers can truly count upon to go right, so when Kershaw wavered for an inning -- and the bullpen and defense played up to its low standards -- they were left looking at a 5-2 Padres victory at Petco Park.

Kershaw (5-5) gave up a solo home run to Chris Denorfia in the first and labored through a three-run, 35-pitch third, but otherwise pitched well.

Pitching well and turning that into victories, however, have been a struggle recently for Kershaw. This was his sixth consecutive start without earning a victory. He has a 3.38 ERA in those six games.

With Richard injured, the Padres went to their more reliable bullpen. Tim Stauffer took over and held the Dodgers to one run in four innings. Tyson Ross followed with three scoreless innings.

Dale Thayer allowed one run in the eighth when Yasiel Puig beat out a routine grounder to shortstop for an infield single and scored on a double by Hanley Ramirez.

Huston Street pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his 15th save and the Padres dropped the Dodgers’ record against teams within the National League Division at 9-23.

The Dodgers committed two more errors and Brandon League gave up another run in relief.

The Dodgers might have been better off if Richard had remained healthy. He entered with a 7.01 ERA on the season, and the Dodgers’ current team had a career .344 batting average against him.

Sometimes breaks aren’t breaks at all.